Harbhajan Singh Blames India for ‘Destroying Test Cricket’ With Spin-Heavy Pitches

Harbhajan Singh criticised India’s continued use of spin-heavy pitches, claiming the approach is harming Test cricket and lowering its quality.

India’s batting collapse in the Kolkata Test has increased criticism of the team management, especially after the hosts were dismissed for 93 while chasing 124 on a sharply turning pitch. The surface has drawn widespread disapproval for offering excessive assistance to spinners, raising concerns about the quality of contests at home.

Harbhajan Singh has now questioned India’s long-running approach of preparing extreme turners, arguing that such conditions harm Test cricket and place even Indian batters under pressure. He believes the team has enough skill to win anywhere and should avoid tactics that compromise the format’s balance.

“They (India) have completely destroyed Test cricket. Rest in peace, Test cricket. The kind of work they have done, the kind of pitches that have been made for so many years now, I have been seeing it. No one talks about it because it is fine, the team is winning, someone is taking wickets, someone is becoming great by taking those wickets,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.

“So everyone feels everything is going well. But I feel that this practice has not started today. It has been going on for many years, and I feel it is the wrong way of playing,” he added.

Harbhajan Singh on Spin-Heavy Pitches Halting Player Development

The former cricketer then questioned why India, despite performing strongly in countries like England, continue to rely on heavily spin-friendly surfaces at home. According to him, repeated use of extreme turners limits growth and keeps players “going in circles” instead of progressing.

“We lost to New Zealand and then again, we’ve prepared such pitches. We played so well in England and after that… ghar aate he nikamma kaam. What’s the difference? Why are we doing this? I cannot understand. You have a solid batting, spin department and fast bowlers. We will end up winning in five days but you have to prepare good pitches,” Harbhajan said.

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“You are not moving forward in any way, you are just going around in circles like an ox tied to a mill. You are winning, but there is no real benefit. As a cricketer, you are not growing,” he continued.

“So I feel it is high time to see and reflect on this, that playing matches on such pitches where your batsmen are not even sure how to score runs, and you are making them look like they do not know how to bat,” Harbhajan said. Then what difference remains between a capable bowler and a capable batsman if the conditions become so favourable that people are getting out because of the pitch and not because of skill? It is sad to see how Test cricket is being played. It’s shocking. I don’t know why we are doing this,” the former cricketer concluded.